Event Brief
Florida Supreme Court Upholds Lakeland Death Sentence
By The BriefBrief · Sources (1)
Filed: Sep 17, 2026 at 12:00 PM ET
Summary: The Florida Supreme Court upheld the conviction and death sentence of Benjamin Davis Smiley Jr. for the 2013 killing of Clifford Drake during a home-invasion robbery in Lakeland. In a unanimous opinion by Justice Jamie Grosshans, the court affirmed the denial of Smiley’s postconviction relief motion and rejected his habeas corpus petition.
WHO: Benjamin Davis Smiley Jr.; Clifford Drake; Justice Jamie Grosshans; Mark Wilkerson; Casey Bisbee
WHAT: Florida Supreme Court affirmed Smiley’s first-degree murder conviction and death sentence tied to a 2013 Lakeland home invasion robbery.
WHEN: Sep 17, 2026
WHERE: Lakeland, Florida
WHY: Smiley’s death sentence was upheld after the Florida Supreme Court affirmed the denial of his postconviction relief motion and rejected his habeas corpus petition.
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